


Bolt from the Blue

by ShadowPhoenixRider



Series: Walk on the Wild Side [6]
Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Awkward Romance, F/M, Healing, Magical Accidents, Shyness, Slow Build, Warlords of Draenor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-27 07:42:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9983291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowPhoenixRider/pseuds/ShadowPhoenixRider
Summary: Khadgar's ritual to upgrade Draggka's ring goes badly wrong, and almost leads to tragedy. And something else...





	

Blood. There was blood in her mouth.

Draggka tried to raise her hand to inspect her mouth for damage, but it felt like she was trying to heft a gronn one handed. Nothing else wanted to move either, like her entire body had become a lead weight, sinking deep into the ocean. Her mind though…she felt thread-like, like she could just pull out of her body at the slightest lift of…her head? No, her body was heavy, how could-

She remembered an incantation, of standing in the light, of something _big_ hitting her, then nothing. She could swear she could hear noise of…something, but it was like being back in Vashj’ir with her ears blocked; it was all muffled and far away.

Everything was black, or close to it, but she saw two figures…two orcs. One orangey brown, one green, and clothed like a warlock. They blurred and wavered, and Draggka felt her eyelids getting heavier, her…’body’ getting lighter.

 _“Come, drink.”_ Said the dark orc to the other. Could she hear…drums, in the background?

 _“I told you - get out!”_ Cried the other.

Definitely drums…it made her think of home. Her mother said she could hear drumming before she passed…

 _“They assault your foundry. They murder your allies. Mine is the only way.”_ Wheedled the green orc, his tone dark.

Bwonsamdi. The drumming was the Death Loa, come to safeguard her journey to the Other Side. Yet, for some reason, Draggka only felt panic at this knowledge. _I don’t want to leave things undone, I had things to say. I can’t go yet, just give me another chance, please!  
_

“Clear!” Said a deep voice, very close, and suddenly Draggka was pulled right back into her body as it bucked, electricity shooting through her and pure _pain. S_ he suddenly sucked in a deep breath ( _she felt exhausted what did she do_ ) and her vision went white and bright - she had to close her eyes to shield them from the onslaught.

She opened them easily this time, and though her vision was blurry, it slowly cleared, and she became aware that her entire body ached, except for two points that were viciously pinched together and felt burnt.

Her vision filled with the face of someone, and her first brief thought commented that it was a very handsome human before she recognised him as Khadgar. He looked panicked, almost close to tears.

“Draggka! Can you hear me?” He asked urgently, his finger brushing her cheek, and she gave a groan of pain in response, turning and spitting out the thick blood she felt in her mouth. Khadgar chuckled thinly. “Charming. I’ll take it,” he said, moving out of her eyeline and releasing the pinching pain from her side and chest.

The hunter slowly propped herself up on her arms, watching the Warden Cordana step back away from her feet. The elf sounded surprised when she said:

“It worked.”

“Yes.” Khadgar replied some where off to Draggka’s left. “I maintain a pair of goblin jumper cables for just such an emergency.” She turned her head curiously at that, watching the mage put the distinctive leads away. _They’re the XL kind_ , her dazed mind noted as she pushed herself up to sitting.

“Take your time.” Khadgar said, coming over to her. “Cordana, could you fetch the commander some water and some salve for these burns? I’m sure she would appreciate it.”

The Warden bowed and left the room, and when she did, Khadgar crouched next to Draggka, and she noticed he looked shaken. Deeply so.

“I’m so sorry, Draggka,” he said. “I thought…I thought I lost you.” The way his voice almost cracked unsettled the troll more than she thought possible. She could almost hear her brother’s voice from a couple of days ago echoing her mind. _You'll have to talk with him. It's the only way to see if he returns your feelings._ She opened her mouth and shut it again, not sure what to say.

“…I heard de drums, archmage.” She admitted softly, Khadgar looking up in surprise. “Bwonsamdi be comin’ for me den. If you’d not-”

Khadgar winced, shaking his head.

“Please, don’t say any more,” he said. A pause. “Don’t tell me I’ve upset the Death Loa now as well. Cordana’s already cross at me for nearly…” His breath caught for a moment, and he had to swallow to get his words out. “You know.”

“I don’t tink so.” Draggka smiled slightly at Khadgar’s recall of their previous conversations about her culture and the numerous Loa her people worshipped. “Dere always be another time for him.”

He gave her a look.

“You’ll excuse me if that doesn’t sound exactly comforting.” He deadpanned. He sighed. “Look, Draggka, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. And this…I think now’s a good a time as any-”

“Archmage. Commander.” Cordana’s voice interrupted him, the archmage glancing over his shoulder as she approached. Draggka reached for the water first, suddenly feeling as parched as Durotar’s sands.

“I think we can take it from here.” Khadgar said, an edge to his tone Draggka hadn’t heard before. She put it down to the shock of almost killing her, concentrating on the cool water and trying not to spill any down her front.

“As you wish.” Cordana said, and she began to walk away, back to her post outside the tower. Draggka drained the last few drops, handing it back to Khadgar.

“Tank you.” She murmured, wiping her lips.

“Any time.” He smiled, and Draggka’s heart did a odd flutter. “Do you need help with the salve?”

“Yeah, if dat will be okay.” She nodded. “Dose burns aren’t in easy to get places.”

“Sorry about that. I wasn’t really thinking about that at the time.” Khadgar said, sitting beside her and shedding his gloves.

“True. And you can’t be putting jumper cables on yourself.” Draggka commented, unbuckling her armour enough so she could lift the fabric coverings enough to expose her skin.

“No, you certainly can not.” Khadgar chuckled, placing a small amount of salve on his fingers and reaching forward towards the first burn, on her lower side. “Let me know if this hurts too much.”

“Of course.” She smiled, restraining a wince as his fingers touched her wound, but she soon relaxed under his touch. It was gentle and tender, spell-callouses on his fingertips that felt nice against her skin, brushing through her fur as he made sure to get every bit of her inflamed skin.

“All right, I think that one’s done.” Khadgar said, shifting over to her other side. “I, um, this one’s a bit…higher up.”

“Higher? I tink I can…Where did ya put da udder lead?”

Khadgar swallowed hard.

“On the top of your…right breast,” he said quietly.

An awkward silence fell.

“Ah.” The hunter chewed at her lip. “I don’t tink I can get my shirt dat high. Gonna have to take it off.”

“Okay.” The archmage said. “D-Do you want to do this still? I-I mean, your regeneration should heal the wound soon, surely? Being a troll, and all.”

“Yeah, but it still be hurting through da healing.” She explained, snapping off the catches to remove her shoulder guards, laying them down next to her. “Da salve will reduce de pain. Besides, it’s not like we be having da luxury of time.”

“I suppose.” Khadgar murmured, as she pulled her chest armour up and over her head, setting it down with her shoulder guards. She could almost feel his gaze avoiding her, and she sighed, pulling off her gloves.

“Give me da salve. I’ll do it.” The troll took it from his hands, pulling her undershirt up over her breasts, hooking her chin into the material to try and hold it above the wound. However, some of the material escaped, and trying to stuff it under her chin left her with only one hand and nowhere near enough fingers for the task.

“Here, let me.” Khadgar spoke softly, taking the garment in his own hands to let Draggka apply the salve to her wound, though she was aware he was studiously looking at anything that wasn’t her. _I didn’t expect he’d be shy…_ She mused to herself.

She nodded when she was done, and the archmage seemed only too happy to take his hands away from her, letting her replace her armour on her own.

“Will you be alright?” He asked, standing back up, and reaching a hand down to her.

“I be fine,” she said, taking his offering of help to pull her up to her feet. She found herself liking the feeling of his hand around hers, and Khadgar didn’t seem in a hurry to let go, instead tracing his thumb over the empowered ring, its red gem glowing softly.

“This ring will serve you well,” he said. “I have never seen an artifact so powerful and pure of form. It may be possible to enhance it further, but…” He hesitated, glancing away from her. “I do not know at what cost.”

“I be keeping it in mind.” She replied. He still hadn’t let go of her hand.

An awkward pause settled around them.

“Well,” Khadgar began, clearing his throat. “There’s still the issue of Garona.”

Draggka couldn’t help her lip curling at the mention of the assassin’s name. It wasn’t fair; Garona was under Gul’dan’s thrall after all, but all Draggka could see in her mind’s eye was the half-orc driving her blades into the archmage’s back and side. A bolt scar on her arm became tender in memory, but she remembered knowing her regeneration would aid her in the fight, and how she had almost succumbed to the berserker inside her. 

Then again, seeing Garona reeling under Khadgar’s magic as he tried to free her from Gul’dan earlier had been saddening to see. The control clearly ran deep, enough that Khadgar’s insistent…whatever you did with magic had caused her pain. She had to admit, she’d been unsettled by his behaviour, but she could understand the tunnel vision, of being just within the grasp of an answer but unable to cross the last inch to get hold of it. Yet he had stopped, had been regretful, and was searching for another way. 

In a way, it reminded her of the Horde. Maybe with Vol’jin as Warchief, there could be a new start, maybe some peace.

“…I’m going to have to hit the books and do more research on locating Gul’dan or untangling his mind control of Garona.” Khadgar was saying. “It’s not glamorous, but the life of a mage is often spent in long hours of gruelling study.” He glanced back to her then. “Draggka?”

“I be fine,” she said, taking her hand from his and rubbing at the scar on her arm. The archmage’s face fell for a moment before he composed himself.

“I’m sure there’s still a lot for you to be doing, Commander,” he said. “The Iron Horde won’t wait for us. I will summon you when I have figured out what to do next.”

“Okay.” Draggka nodded. “Take care of yourself, Archmage.”

“You too, Commander.” Khadgar smiled, and then, in a softer voice, he said: “Come back in one piece.”

Something about his tone made her heart flutter and a smile appear on her own lips.

“I’ll do my best.”


End file.
